An estimated 1,600 homes and buildings have been destroyed in the region, but no deaths or serious injuries were reported. More than 18,500 acres have already been scorched.
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In consultation with the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo, the province declared the emergency to access greater resources from around the country to help fight the 7500-hectare blaze that has destroyed significant parts of the oil-sands city. “My home is burnt to the ground but it’s just stuff. I lost a son previous year…”
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said that the military will be able to deploy air force planes to Fort McMurray as needed.
“Our thoughts are with the residents in the Fort McMurray area who have been impacted by the severe wildfires”, said Rich Kruger, Chairman, President and CEO.
Authorities say wildfires are burning out of control in the Alberta oil sands region of Canada, which mines and ships heavy crude to the U.S., and oil companies have reduced operations as non-essential employees are evacuated.
Around 17,000 residents fled to the north and another 35,000 headed south. Some vehicles sat in ditches, the victims of engine trouble or a lack of gas.
The inferno, which started Sunday, forced the evacuation of that entire city in northern Alberta.
The raging wildfire in Fort McMurray threatened to engulf fleeing motorists.
They are being helped by a dozen helicopters, two air tankers groups and nine air tankers, according to Danielle Larivee, Alberta’s Minister of Municipal Affairs. Reports of homes being burned mounted, while officials advised a new school being built in one neighbourhood had been destroyed.
The evacuation was “just insane”, oil worker Victor Howald told CTV. Anzac’s recreational centre, which is almost 50 kilometres southeast of Fort Mac, was housing hundreds of evacuees from the embattled city prior to the most recent evacuation order. “It felt like the apocalypse”.
Wildfire flames can be seen burning their war toward Anzac on May 4.
Allen said they are trying to maintain the crucial infrastructure in the city, including the only bridge across the Athabasca River and Highway 63, the only route to the city from the south.
Fort McMurray is a major centre of Canada’s oil sands industry – with vast oil reserves – and a major evacuation of staff was ordered. Suncor, the largest oil sands operator, said it is reducing production at its regional facility – about 15 miles north of the city.
Suncor Energy Inc. shut down its base plant, as well as two processing facilities.
Brent was pushed higher by escalating fighting in Libya.
Global benchmark Brent crude futures were trading at $45.36 per barrel at 0654 GMT, up 74 cents or 1.7% from their last close, after three days of declining prices.
Since April 1, there have been almost 330 wildfires reported across the entire province of Alberta.
He said: “This is going to take a while to recover”.
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As flames began to catch the sides of the bus, passengers yelled at the driver to pull off to the other side of the road. “People were driving up on paths and grass verges just to get out of there”.
